What is Dance/Movement Therapy (DMT)?

1) DMT is a form of psychotherapy that incorporates the use of movement & dance into the therapy session.
2) It is the psychotherapeutic use of movement as a process, which furthers the emotional, social, cognitive, &
physical integration of the individual. DMTs have an in-depth understanding of how the body and mind
interact in health and in illness.
3) DMT is not about teaching a dance technique of a specific way of moving; instead our work
Stresses the interrelatedness of the mind, body and spirit
Begins where the client is functioning and incorporates the clients strengths
Empowers by making the client an active partner, a collaborator in his or her own healing process
Provides a safe container for strong emotional content, supporting an exploration of ones strengths &
healthy potential.
Organizes internal sensations & emotions: Therapists observe movement behavior & develop movement
structures & experiences to organize & contain emotional material.

Why is Dance/Movement Therapy therapeutic?

1) DMT espouses a holistic view of the individual, recognizing the complex interaction between the mind & the
body. Our first sense of ourselves is a body sense, which remains core to our self-identity. All mental health
issues have a body component & DMTs holistic approach incorporates this into treatment.
2) Adaptive communication & expressive behaviors are all considered in treatment. Body movement, artwork, &
verbal expression provide a means for assessment & intervention.
3) Movement is used as a vehicle for self-expression, insight & behavioral change in a safe, affirming,
non-judgmental environment.
4) DMT helps to develop strengths such as: healthy self-image, anger management, creativity & playfulness,
positive problem solving, effective communication skills, relationship building, & emotional stability.

Training and credentials of Dance/Movement Therapists

1) DMTs are Masters level prepared therapists. There are several programs throughout the country that offer
training programs that have been approved by the American Dance Therapy Association (ADTA.) These
programs are regularly reviewed and meet standards set by the ADTA.
2) DMTs have two levels of registry
R-DMT: REGISTERED DANCE/MOVEMENT THERAPISTS have a Masters Degree, which includes
700 hours of supervised clinical internship & are fully qualified to work in a professional treatment system.
BC-DMT: BOARD CERTIFIED DANCE/MOVEMENT THERAPIST have completed 3,640 hours of
supervised clinical work in an agency & are fully qualified to teach, provide supervision, & engage in
private practice. 100 hours of Continuing Education every 5 years is required to maintain the BC-DMT.
3) DTRL: DANCE THERAPISTS REGISTERED AND LICENSED The state of Wisconsin provides state
licensure for therapists with the BC-DMT level of registry to practice psychotherapy through our profession.

Populations we work with

1) DMT is an effective treatment for people with psychological, social, developmental, medical, & physical
problems. We work with issues such as depression, anxiety, abuse, anger, attachment, eating disorders, self-
mutilation, bi-polar, ADHD, ADD, obsessive-compulsive, schizo-affective, psychosis, autism, etc.
2) DMT is used with people of all ages, races, & ethnic backgrounds in individual, couples, family, & group
therapy formats.
3) DMT is practiced in psychiatric hospitals, day treatment programs, jails, public schools, senior centers,
medical & educational settings, outpatient therapy clinics, nursing homes, day care, disease prevention &
health promotion programs.

16 N. Hancock St - Madison, WI p (608) 251-0908 www.hancockcenter.net - info@hancockcenter.net - Prepared by Robyn Lending Halsten
 CULTIVATING SAFE SPACES TO DO TRAUMA WORK
Caution! Please be aware that these are techniques primarily used by professionals with training in the use of the
body in psychotherapy. Please proceed with caution as you develop your own body skills. If you are not
comfortable doing these techniques yourself you should not do them with your clients. These techniques are not
meant to be used at once.

External safe place Clients cannot be expected to do internal work until they have an external
sense of safety. Allow clients to placing themselves in the room where they need to be and then
place you where they want you in relationship to themselves.

Tracking This is a non-judgmental process that helps clients become oriented in the present
and in their body. Help clients track body sensations by asking them to pay attention to their
breath, areas of tension, comfort and discomfort, temperature (what feels warm/what feels cold)
images that might arise and other physical sensations. Tracking exercises can be verbally led by
the therapist moving from the feet on up or the head on down the body.

Grounding If seated have clients feel what parts of their body are connected to the chair and
the floor. Can they feel their back against the back of the chair, their feet on the floor, etc. Arms
can push against the chair in different places and feel the effect on the rest of the body. Feet can
push against the floor. Gentle rocking that puts weight on the feet and might eventually lead to
standing. Once standing, have clients notice if they are locking their knees or if they are slightly
bent. Have them explore shifting weight from one leg to another feeling their feet against the
floor. Have them put one leg in front of the other and explore shifting weight back and forth as if
they were rocking again feeling the ground under their feet. Keeping their feet in the front-back
position, with knees bent, you can eventually have clients push against the wall with their hands.
With children you can have them push against you in order to feel their strength. Children also
enjoy stomping around the room this is a wonderful way to get them grounded with out them
knowing it! Make sure you do not overwhelm them. The goal is for them to connect into their
strength.

Body and feeling connections Once your clients start to feel safe exploring space, body
awareness, and feeling the ground beneath them, you may be able to move into developing a
relationship between feelings and body sensations. Go slowly! Feel free to use only part of a
technique during a session. Use your and your client's comfort level as your guide. Ask them
what is going on, if you are moving too quickly, etc. Sometimes you need to leave the bodywork
and use verbalization and artwork for a time. Abused clients can take a long time to connect to
their body.

Body-scan This can be used as a warm-up to ground the body. In an organized fashion either
move from the feet up or the head down. Tell clients that their eyes can be open or closed
whatever feels the most comfortable. Start by saying something like, We are going to pay
attention to what is happening in the body right now. Bring your attention into your scalp, notice

Developed by Kornblum, Halsten, Valentine for Hancock Center for Dance/Movement Therapy
16 N. Hancock St. Madison, WI 53703 www.hancockcenter.net 608 251-0809
if you have any sensation, any thoughts, feelings, etc. Take a minute to notice. (Wait a short
time.) Now move to the back of the head, etc. Gradually move through the entire body.

Emotional arousal When you notice clients becoming aroused or they report to you feeling
overwhelmed you can slow things down by utilizing the tracking, grounding and body scan listed
above. You can help move the feeling to the external by asking the client to imagine a place or
space they would like to put their anger, sadness, memory, etc. This could be an object, a box, a
place in nature, the therapy room itself.

Breathing Helping your client be aware of their breath, be it held or flowing is critical to self-
awareness. Be careful about trying to direct your clients breathing, for example asking them to
breathe more deeply. Breathing is very connected to emotion and defenses. Clients need to have
control over the speed that these things are explored.

Self-Touch Self guided touch can allow clients to feel their body boundary (skin) in the
present. This can be a powerful way to help your clients move from the outside of their body to
their inner sensations. They can experiment with rhythmic patting or rubbing during a body-
scan. After clients have had several experiences doing the scan without touch and have learned
to recognize body sensations without becoming overwhelmed. Self-touch can be grounding
and nurturing. Most clients protect themselves if feelings are too overwhelming by
disassociating. None-the-less, go slowly. Different types of self-touch such as patting, hugging,
rubbing or caressing themselves can be explored regarding feeling connections. Some people
prefer firm touch and find gentle caressing to be distressing or visa-versa. This is true in the
general population, not just with survivors.

Self-Talk Self-talk is a very powerful technique for dealing with anxiety, or overwhelming
feelings. Start by having the client become aware of the messages s/he is saying inside his or her
head. Discuss whether these messages are positive or negative. Have your clients brainstorm
positive messages they can say to themselves while doing self touch or during the body scan
exercise. Clients can then explore self talk messages they might use outside the session.

Developed by Kornblum, Halsten, Valentine for Hancock Center for Dance/Movement Therapy
16 N. Hancock St. Madison, WI 53703 www.hancockcenter.net 608 251-0809
 EXPERIENCES FOR ESTABLISHING BOUNDARIES
Caution! Please be aware that these are techniques primarily used by professionals with training in the use of the
body in psychotherapy. Please proceed with caution as you develop your own body skills. If you are not
comfortable doing these techniques yourself you should not do them with your clients. These techniques are not
meant to be used at once.

APPROACHING PERSONAL SPACE:

Variation I: Have clients pair up. Have one partner approach the other in different ways,
guided by the client being approached, to see how far away or close they want others. As soon as
the client notices that they are becoming dysregulated (notices physical sensations, thoughts etc.)
have them stop the person that is moving towards them. Have them check in with themselves,
noticing anything that is happening for them. These approaches can vary in speed, level
(walking, crawling), direction (front, side, back), direction (straight on or meandering), etc. The
client being approached gets to tell the client approaching how to come towards them. Give time
to experiment with several ways. Switch roles so everyone gets to approach and be approached.
Leave time to process how the different approaches felt.

Variation II: Assertion can be developed while learning to protect ones space. One of
the pair approaches their partner. The partner's job is to say "Stop" or "No" in an assertive voice.
Before doing this exercise with partners have the whole group practice saying "Stop" or "No"
with appropriate facial expression and strong body stance.

STREAMERS: Using crepe paper streamers, have clients outline their personal space. How big
a space do they want around themselves? If you do this on different days the size may vary.
How are they most comfortable allowing you or someone else to enter their space? Is there a
way two spaces could share a boundary with each other? If not, respect that need. How could
two people sharing a boundary go back and forth between spaces with both parties feeling
comfortable?

NESTS: With children, safe spaces can be used as a nest and they can hatch out as different
creatures, born in a comfortable, safe place. They can venture out into general space and return
back to their nest. They can experiment with visiting others nests, getting permission first. They
can work on social skills as these different creatures. And work on respecting others boundaries.

Developed by Kornblum, Lending Halsten & Valentine for Hancock Center for Dance/Movement Therapy,
Madison, WI 53703. www.hancockcenter.net. 608 251-0908
 Prevention Interventions

1. Stop! or No!
2. Hey! Look
3. Compliment
4. Oh NO! Im late
5. Asking for help
6. Act friendly
7. Join other people (move away from bully)
8. Making a joke
9. Broken record
10. Ignoring
11. Distracting
12. Changing the subject
13. Being silly or goofy
14. Getting help from a grown-up
More for Emergencies
15. Acting sick
16. Acting crazy
17. Wetting your pants
18. Pretend to throw up
19. Yell a description of attacker as loud as you can
20. Help! or Fire!
21. Doing what the attacker demands until you can get help
22. Calling 911
Disarming the Playground: Violence Prevention Through Movement & Pro-Social Skills by Rena Kornblum rbkornbl@wisc.edu
Hancock Center for Dance/Movement Therapy, 16 N. Hancock St. Madison, WI. 53703 www.hancockcenter.net 608 251-0908
 PREVENTION PROGRAM: SPACE & SELF SETTLING IN 10 15 MINUTE BLOCKS

SPACE ISSUES: MAINTAINING SPACE DECREASING SPATIAL INTRUSION

Space rules: No sharing space bubbles without permission- Use words like My Space-Your Space, I need more
space please, Respect other peoples spatial needs, Use Self-talk messages about respecting space to keep peace
1. Define area for moving in walking. Make space to move in smaller and then even smaller.
What are different movements needed for smaller and smaller spaces e.g. smaller steps, body parts closer
to body, slower speed, more weaving, more visual attention.
How do you sense a space is getting too crowded and what can you do then - e.g. leave
that space and come back later, see if space available can be increased.

2. Review the rules for moving in large space vs. small space. Play with maintaining different size space
bubbles with different movement challenges decide what size space bubble to be maintained before each
movement challenge.
Start children on their feet walking, then allow skipping, hopping or galloping, then decide if there is
room for running or not. Follow this with different movement challenges (good for following directions
too) such as travel with one hand and one foot off the floor, no feet touching the ground. Have children
come up with parameters that allow choices.

3. Respecting spatial needs of others - Connection vs. Disconnection

Explore approaching others in different ways. Use crepe paper & have the children define the size space
bubble they want. Have the child stand in the space and direct a partner to approach in different ways
walking, running, crawling, from the front, behind, side, etc. Have partner walk around the perimeter of
the space have them ask if they can come in or not and where they can be in that persons space.
Switch roles discuss how different people felt

4. Respecting spatial needs of others - Connection vs. Disconnection

Have children explore non-verbal ways people signal they want you with them or they dont want you.
Initially just as they approach but work toward being together and how you might signal that you want to
end your connection for the time being.
Ask people to demonstrate some of the ways they can think of.
Evaluate respectful vs. disrespectful ways and how each of these ways feels. What do you do if
someone indicates they dont want to be with you?
Remember self-talk and self-calming techniques
Make a plan for other things you could do or other people to be with
If its a friend, how might express your feelings?
What are the signs that tell you that you are close enough or too close?

5. Maintaining space while sitting or working on things on the ground like building with blocks
or Legos, or working at a table with others
See if group can sit down and maintain elbow-room, balancing the use of space.
Have group practice changing positions without invading anyones space not getting
up and moving to a new space but staying put and fidgeting safely
See if people can get up and leave space and rejoin without invading space

6. Maintaining space while sitting or working on things on the ground like building with blocks
or Legos, or working at a table with others
Actually set up scenarios such as working on a block structure. Have children practice
moving around each other ask them how to guess how many people can fit in that space
This can be done as situations are happening during a day
Disarming the Playground: Violence Prevention Through Movement & Pro-Social Skills by Rena Kornblum rbkornbl@wisc.edu
Hancock Center for Dance/Movement Therapy, 16 N. Hancock St. Madison, WI. 53703 www.hancockcenter.net 608 251-0908
 IMPULSE CONTROL - SELF-SETTLING POSITIVE PROBLEM SOLVING

1. IMPULSE CONTROL OR PUTTING ON THE BRAKES, BEING ABLE TO STOP YOUR BODY
A. TRAVELING BRAKES Set up lines w/cloth or tape about 1 foot from the wall on either side across room.
Have children, a few at a time run full tilt and try to stop on the line, not touching the wall
Ask the children to figure out what technique they used to stop; jump, pushing feet into ground, twisting, etc.
Have them try several times and try different techniques. Goal is to feel the need to add tension in the body to
stop forward direction.
If theres time have them try different ways of moving across the room and stopping, cartwheels, rolling, etc.
B. BRAKES IN PLACE Have children find a spot in the room or in the area you are working in where they
have a large space bubble (important because they are going to move wildly)
Have them feel their feet on the ground and pretend they are glued there
Have them move wildly in place & then freeze in whatever position they are in when you say STOP or BRAKES
Have them hold the position for a while to feel that stopping requires adding tension.
C. PLAY WITH CONCEPT OF BRAKES Make a game where at any time the adults can say BRAKES
and everyone has to freeze and stop what they are doing until you say release at which time they take some
slow breaths to release the added tension and go on with what they were doing.

2. 4 Bs BRAKES, BREATHING, BRAINS, BODY

A. BREATHING: Explore the difference between abdominal and chest breathing. Have the children lay down
with hands on the stomach & try to breath in a relaxed way. Check each child. If they are having trouble put
your hands on their hands & gently push down as they exhale. This usually activates them to breathe against
the pressure & activate the abdominal muscles. When they can do it lying down, have them try it standing up
& then sitting. You could have them sit crossed legged & close their eyes and meditate, keeping focus on the
breath & feeling their bottom on the floor (grounding).
B. TWO BS: Now incorporate brakes from above with abdominal breathing in the playing
with brakes activity. And start them doing the 2 Bs with arm brakes and breathing from the handout.
Ask for & reward them for catching themselves & yelling in their head STOP, BREATHE & then doing it.
C. SELF TALK: Do the I am weak I am strong activity with the arm. Talk about self-talk, introduce the
BRAINS talk about using it to calm down in other situations brainstorming other places to use it & what they
might say. Encourage placing hands on the head because it reminds and stimulates them to use the brain.
Make a Brain game at any moment of tension or difficulty or even in a good moments add BRAINS to
STOP and BREATHE Use this for calming AND for self-control in tense situations
D. BODY: All four Bs See Handout
E. FIFTH B BREAK (For anger) STOP, BREATHE, THINK ABOUT SOMETHING ELSE
F. PRACTICE: Do exciting activity and practice four Bs, Pretend you are annoyed or angry practice Fifth B

3. POSITIVE PROBLEM SOLVING: Incorporating Self Talk into problem situations See handout. This is more of
a talking and role play situation but again out of no where you can yell BRAINS and they have to come up with
something to say to themselves about whatever they are doing at the moment. Then discuss some of the situations.

4. OPPOSITE MIRRORING: Pair children have them start with mirroring, watching closely enough that as you walk
by you cannot tell who is leading.
Then have the children do the opposite of what their partner is doing. Do not follow their partner. Then try it in groups
of three or four. Play with this idea two children mirroring with one doing the opposite. Have discussions about it.
Bring up the idea of resisting temptation to follow bad ideas and how it is hard and might feel bad in a social situation to
not follow someone who is strong or pushing at you to follow.
Disarming the Playground: Violence Prevention Through Movement & Pro-Social Skills by Rena Kornblum rbkornbl@wisc.edu
Hancock Center for Dance/Movement Therapy, 16 N. Hancock St. Madison, WI. 53703 www.hancockcenter.net 608 251-0908
 ROLE OF THE WITNESS
Help Stop Bullying without Getting Hurt

Stand up to the bully and say stop in an assertive manner

Say Hey Look - walk away w/target to draw away attention
Compliment the bully as a way to side track the aggression
Change the mood of the interaction through humor
Ask the bully to help you with something as a way to distract
Remind target frantically that they are late and take them quickly
away w/you
Change the mood by talking about something else with the bully
Join other people and bring the target away with you
Help the target ignore the bully by engaging the target in friendly
conversation
Support the target by disagreeing with the bully
Support the target later in private
Get help by gathering other peers in support or by getting an adult
Call 911 if its serious
Yell or help the target yell FIRE! or Help! etc.
(Add own ideas)

Disarming the Playground: Violence Prevention Through Movement & Pro-Social Skills by Rena Kornblum rbkornbl@wisc.edu
Hancock Center for Dance/Movement Therapy, 16 N. Hancock St. Madison, WI. 53703 www.hancockcenter.net 608 251-0908
 SAFE SPACES IN THERAPY SETTINGS
EMPOWERING CLIENTS
Caution! Please be aware that these are techniques primarily used by professionals with training in the use of the
body in psychotherapy. Please proceed with caution as you develop your own body skills. If you are not
comfortable doing these techniques yourself you should not do them with your clients. These techniques are not
meant to be used at once.

PROPS: Have pillows, beanbag cushions, stuffed animals and different scarves or pieces of
fabric with different textures available. Clay, drawing material and other expressive props such
as puppets, music, musical instruments, dolls, etc. are good to have around. Depending upon
your client/s, these props may need to be out of sight so as not to be over stimulating.

SPACE: Allow client/s to experiment with where they feel most comfortable, e.g. against a wall
or in the middle of the room, with a lot of space or a little space around them, with others across
from them or to the side, on the ground or on a chair, etc.

Ask your client/s where you, the therapist, should be. Allow them to experiment with placing
you in different places in reference to them. Have them check in with themselves to see how
these different spatial relationships feel.

SAFE SPACES: Have client/s draw or imagine what a safe space would be like for them; large
or small room, windows or not, doors or not, how many, and where in relation to the client.
What/who would be in the space; chairs, cushions, other objects? Where would the space be; in
their homes, the woods, a meadow in the mountains, etc? Where would they be in the space?
You can draw or sketch under the clients direction or the client/s can draw and then process
with you.

If your client/s could make your therapy room feel safe how would they arrange things and
people? Give them a chance to try doing it.

Allow client/s time to make a safe space using props in your room. They can decorate it; make it
intricate with pillows or tables defining boundaries. Allow enough time for the client to
experiment with different arrangements and still have time to indulge in being in their space.
This can be a wonderful place to have the therapy session.

GROUP SAFE SPACE: With groups, creating a communal safe space can also be a way to
create trust in the group. This activity can also provide the therapist with insight into the group
dynamics. Sharing each persons perspective on the process of making the space and how each
person feels about the completed space can follow up this activity. Are there places in the space
someone feels uncomfortable, most comfortable, ownership over, etc?

Developed by Rena Kornblum, Robyn Lending Halsten and Grace Valentine for Hancock Center for
Dance/Movement Therapy, 16 N. Hancock St. Madison, WI 53703 www.hancockcenter.net 608-251-0908
 THE FIFTH B
BREAK
CONTROLLING YOUR ANGER OR ANXIETY

BREAK THROUGH YOUR ANGER OR ANXIETY

BY
YELLING STOP to yourself inside your head
First sign language for STOP, which consists of extending your left hand, palm
upward and sharply bringing your open right hand down to your left hand at a right
angle (This is the definition from a sign dictionary). I dont emphasize which hand
(especially since I am left handed and use the opposite hands for all signs) I use the
words the side of one hand hits the palm of the other hand with a staccato motion.
The children I work with have learned about staccato quality in Music class. They call it Stanley
Staccato so I refer to that. The staccato action goes along with shouting STOP in their head.

TAKE A BREAK FROM WHAT IS BOTHERING YOU

BY MAKING YOURSELF

TURN YOUR MIND to something PLEASANT or PEACEFUL

o The second action uses the hand gesture for meditation. Extend your fingers on each hand and
then join your thumb and forefinger to make a circle. When you make
this circle the other fingers curve slightly. If the children are sitting I
have them put their hands on their knees, palms facing up, as one
would do in meditation. If they are standing they just keep their
hands close to them. This action signifies thinking about something
peaceful or enjoyable. I frequently ask the children when they are in a
good mood to think of a few things that they could turn their mind to
when they do the fifth B.

My experience so far is that some people will do all five Bs and some will just do the fifth B
when they are getting angry. Children who anger quickly find the fifth B alone to be a
one- step technique for getting and staying calm. Of course this is best practiced over
small things that are bothering you before you try to use it on something major.

Disarming the Playground: Violence Prevention Through Movement & Pro-Social Skills by Rena Kornblum rbkornbl@wisc.edu
Hancock Center for Dance/Movement Therapy, 16 N. Hancock St. Madison, WI. 53703 www.hancockcenter.net 608 251-0908
Violence Prevention Through Movement Curriculum

I. Spatial Awareness and Self Control - Including the 4 Bs of Self-Settling

A. SPACE
1. Increase ability to maintain ones own space without intruding on others
Includes in-school behavior - lining up, walking in the hallways, sitting together
Includes recess and free play situations
Includes knowledge of different types of movement needed in small contained spaces
versus larger areas
2. Learn appropriate social spacing for different situations
With strangers
With authority figures such as teachers, principals, etc.
With friends and family
3. Learn that no ones space should be intruded upon without permission
4. Increase awareness of and respect for other peoples spatial needs
B. SELF-SETTLING OR ENERGY MODULATION
1. Increase ability to modulate energy level
Develop awareness of body sensations related to calm alert energy, high-energy
in-control and high-energy out-of-control
Increase ability to maintain calm alert energy
Increase ability to calm down when agitated or over-excited
2. Learn specific techniques for self-settling, practice using them when cued by an adult
and then at ones own initiation
Abdominal Breathing
The 4 Bs of Self-Settling
Other relaxation techniques; such imagery or self-talk
3. Learn techniques for speeding ones self up when sluggish
4. Increase impulse-control
II. Awareness of and Response to Dangerous or Tense Situations
Including the ABCs of Safe Ignoring
A. EARLY WARNING SIGNS
1. Develop the ability scan the environment
Increase awareness of others in order to check for safety
2. Develop awareness of ones own Early Warning Signs that alert one to danger
3. Increase ability to evaluate situations after alerted to determine if action is needed
4. Learn to refocus on the task at hand when things are safe
5. Learn to ignore distractions and provocations that do not interfere with ones safety.
6. Develop specific ignoring strategies using the ABCs of safe ignoring.
7. Connect the ability to ignore with the ability to resist temptation
8. Increase attention span; Learn the 4 Cs of controlled Concentration

Disarming the Playground: Violence Prevention Through Movement & Pro-Social Skills by Rena Kornblum rbkornbl@wisc.edu
Hancock Center for Dance/Movement Therapy, 16 N. Hancock St. Madison, WI. 53703 www.hancockcenter.net 608 251-0908
 B. EARN PRO-ACTIVE STRATEGIES FOR HANDLING CONFLICT,
TEASING AND AGGRESSION
1. Learn appropriate assertion, include ability to show strength in body, voice and face
2. Learn ways to redirect aggression & handle teasing through other pro-active strategies

III. Managing Anger and Building Empathy - Including Positive Problem Solving
Techniques and How to Cool Down Burning Hot Anger

A. BUILDING EMPATHY
1. Expressing and Interpreting feelings accurately
2. Moving with others to gain acceptance and connection - Sharing leadership
Matching intensity and rhythms - Exploring other peoples style of movement
3. How you show you care
B. POSITIVE PROBLEM SOLVING
1. Practice handling minor conflicts utilizing strategies from self-control unit
2. Learn and practice how to join a group, how to compromise, how to have some
frustration & still cope, etc. (basic social skills plus self-calming & self-talk strategies)

C. MANAGING ANGER
1. Learning anger triggers and Learn body cues related to anger building
2. Develop list of anger release activities for different situations
3. Learn the 5th B
4. Learn other techniques to help settled anger before burning hot
5. Practice showing frustration and anger in safe ways
IV. Other Issues
A. RESISTING PEER PRESSURE: RESISTING TEMPTATION TO USE WEAPONS
1. Develop safety plan regarding guns & weapons relate this topic to resisting temptation.
2. Increase prolonged ignoring or delayed gratification - what it feels like how one does it
3. Explore relationship of resisting peer pressure to alienation- develop coping strategies

B. DECREASING ALIENATION
1. Increase awareness of isolation what it feels like empathy for those who are isolated
2. Explore what it feels like being outside a group & Learn the four steps to joining a group
3. Develop a list of positive options that can be done alone
4. Increase acceptance of others

C. DECREASING PREJUDICE
1. Explore things that make us different and things that make us the same: Increase
awareness of different cultures and strengths among different groups.
2. How do you approach someone different, set boundaries, make friends, be safe?
3. Connect prejudice to isolation, anger - explore solutions connections vs. disconnections

D. DEAL WITH OTHER ISSUES THAT COME UP SUCH AS SCHOOL BUS PROBLEMS

Disarming the Playground: Violence Prevention Through Movement & Pro-Social Skills by Rena Kornblum rbkornbl@wisc.edu
Hancock Center for Dance/Movement Therapy, 16 N. Hancock St. Madison, WI. 53703 www.hancockcenter.net 608 251-0908